


Blind Date

by Insert Witty Username Here (Insert_Witty_Username_Here)



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Blind Date, F/F, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Gay, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 02:47:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29464500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insert_Witty_Username_Here/pseuds/Insert%20Witty%20Username%20Here
Summary: When Ann signs up to an online dating website that specialises in setting people up on blind dates, she doesn't ever imagine herself being matched with her best friend.
Relationships: Leslie Knope/Ann Perkins
Comments: 9
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AliceMayWrite](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceMayWrite/gifts).



> Someone recently told me to watch Parks & Rec because I'd love it. They were right. That same someone also encourage the tiny spark of an idea that lead to this. Thank you!

Ann frowned slightly as she checked her emails whilst waiting in line to buy her lunch at the hospital cafeteria. She'd signed up for a newly launched dating website a few weeks ago and for the third time, she was being told they'd found a 'perfect' match for her. She slipped her phone into her pocket when she reached the front of the line, but took it out again almost as soon as she sat down with her lunch, debating whether or not to just delete the email without reading it. The dating site was 'different', there were no pictures, no cheesy descriptions in profiles, just a single initial as the website did its best to set people up on blind dates. There wasn't even the option to message your matches, you could suggest a time and place to meet or you could accept, deny or change someone else's offer of a date. 

As she picked at her lunch, Ann thought back to her first two dates, the first had been with 'P', Paul, a 39 year old personal trainer who'd spent the whole evening talking to her chest and, when they'd left the bar, he'd asked her, 'are you coming back to mine or do you want me to come to yours?' luckily she had an early shift the next morning and she'd been able to use that as an excuse to go home alone, conveniently 'forgetting' to give him her number before she'd jumped in her car and locked the doors. Her second date had been with 'D' a 36 year old store manager named Daniel "not Dan or Danny, always Daniel", who'd spent the hour talking about his 4 dogs as if they were children, and his love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and, when Ann had admitted she'd never seen the show, his face had lit up with glee as he'd told her they could watch the box set on their next date, Ann wouldn't have minded that, but then he gave her a list of rules she'd have to 'obey' to keep his dogs happy. She'd faked a pet allergy to get out of the second date and hadn't heard from him again. 

She clicked on the email, finding she'd been matched with a new profile, 'L' a blue eyed blonde who lived in Pawnee. She thought about it for a minute before clicking on the option to arrange a meeting, promising herself that if this didn't work out, she'd delete her profile and go back to 'conventional' online dating where she could veto potential bad dates in the privacy of her own home. She had both Friday and Saturday off work so she suggested meeting at a local restaurant at 6.30pm on Friday. If the date went badly, she'd still have enough time to go out for a few drinks and cheer herself up, and if, on the off chance it went well, she'd have plenty of time to spend with 'L'. She was surprised to revive a message from the website almost instantly, 'L' had accepted her request. They were going on a date. 

Friday came round all too quickly and Ann suddenly found herself staring into her open wardrobe wondering what to wear for her date. She briefly considered calling Leslie for advice but then quickly decided against it, she hadn't mentioned the fact she was trying online dating, especially not 'blind' online dating, she was sure that if she did, Leslie would have a list of 101 reasons why she was going to get murdered within the hour, if she didn't have one prepared already. No. She was being sensible, she'd mentioned going on a date to a friend from work and promised to let them know when she was home, she was meeting in public places and she had no intention of being on her own with any of her dates, not until they'd met a few times with other people around anyway. 

After choosing an outfit, Ann put all the clothes that had been rejected back in her closet before heading for a shower, the usual anxiety she felt about meeting someone new was beginning to creep up on her and she knew a shower would help distract her from all the 'what ifs' buzzing around her head. She shampooed and conditioned her hair before reaching for her razor, "you're doing this for yourself" she reminded herself as she began shaving her legs, "you are not having sex with a stranger after one date."

It was 6.24 when Ann pulled up outside the restaurant, and, after parking her car, she checked her reflection in the rear view mirror, wiping away a smudge of lipstick from the corner of her mouth and running her fingers through her lightly curled hair. She almost jumped out of her skin when someone opened the passenger door to her car, "what the he… Leslie?" she frowned as she saw her best friend slip into the seat beside her, "what are you doing here?" 

"I've got a date" Leslie beamed excitedly, Ann could feel the energy buzzing from her friend, the blonde almost bouncing in the seat, "a blind date actually, but then I saw your car and I thought I'd better come and say hi, I've got…" she glanced at her watch, "four minutes before I meet him." 

Ann's heart stopped. "You, you've got a blind date? Here? At 6.30?" This couldn't be happening. This absolutely could not be happening. 

Leslie nodded before reaching out a hand to rest on Ann's forehead? Are you okay? You've gone very pale Ann, are you sick? If you're sick I can take you home, you're my best friend, you're more important to me than any man, sisters before misters right? Ann, Ann? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

" I… I… "Ann gaped like a goldfish for a moment before pulling herself together and managing to tell Leslie, "I'm not sick." 

"I'm glad to hear that" Leslie grinned, "so, what are you doing here? Are you meeting someone?" her excitement changed to concern, "you're not eating alone are you? I can cancel my date, or ask if he'd mind you joining us, you shouldn't be alone Ann." 

"I am meeting someone" Ann swallowed nervously, "I'm going on a blind date too." 

"You are?" excitement once again danced across Leslie's face, "that's so exciting, and such a coincidence that we're both going on a blind date at the same place at the same time! Imagine if we both find 'the one' we could have a double wedding and our babies can be best friends too and…" Ann tuned out, she actually felt a little bit sick, she couldn't believe that her 'perfect match' was her best friend. Yes she might have ticked that she was interested in both men and women when she'd set up her profile on the dating website, but it hadn't crossed her mind that she'd ever be matched with another woman. "Oh. My God." Ann was broken from her thoughts by Leslie's shocked gasp, looking up just in time to see Leslie flop dramatically back in her seat. "What if you're meant to be my blind date? The app did say it was someone who's name began with an A!" 

Ann said nothing as she fumbled for her phone, opening the dating app and showing it to Leslie, "I'm so sorry Leslie, I…" 

Leslie's eyes widened as she saw the screen on Ann's phone, "this is amazing!" Ann was shocked by Leslie's reaction, "come on, this is going to be the best date ever!" it was only as Leslie jumped out of the car, in the few seconds before her door was flung open and she was pulled to her feet, that Ann realised that, to have been matched with her, Leslie must have said she was interested in dating other women too. Leslie didn't think twice about grabbing Ann's hand as she walked through the parking lot towards the restaurant, it wasn't the first time they'd held hands, but Ann was certain her hands had never felt quite so sweaty before. 

"I'm Leslie" the blonde stretched a hand across the table once they'd been seated, "Leslie Knope, with a K, I'm Deputy Director for Parks and Recreation here in Pawnee." 

Ann was slightly confused but took Leslie's hand, her confusion growing as Leslie shook her hand, "Ann Perkins" she frowned, "I'm a nurse, at the hospital."

"That's great" Leslie put her elbow on the table, letting her cheek rest against her fist, "so tell me more about yourself Ann, what do you do when you're not busy saving lives?" 

As anyone would have expected, conversation flowed easily as they ate, and, once Ann got used to the fact that her 'date' was just dinner with her best friend, she relaxed a little and tried not to focus on the tiny details and just enjoy herself, Leslie seemed determined to treat this as a 'real' first date, and, like most of Leslie's crazy schemes, Ann was happy to go along with it. 

"So" two glasses of wine had helped with Ann's nerves, it wouldn't be the first time that a quiet dinner with Leslie had ended in her stumbling out of a taxi several hours later , her car abandoned in a parking lot somewhere. Her hand shook slightly as she reached for the wine bottle, needing a little more courage before telling Leslie, "for us to have been matched, you must have said you were interested in women…" 

"I did" there was an almost proud smile on Leslie's face, "made out with a girl in college, I didn't hate it so I thought why not!" 

"Why not indeed" Ann smiled as she swirled her wine around her glass. 

"What about you?" Leslie finished her wine and poured herself another glass, "I didn't know you were…" 

"I'm not" Ann said quickly, "I mean, I haven't, not…" she sighed and took a deep breath, feeling Leslie reach out and take her hand. 

"Ann, it's okay if you…" 

Ann shook her head, if she couldn't be honest with Leslie, would she ever be honest with anyone? "I've always been…" she paused as she tried to think of the right word, "curious I guess, but I've never… I've never explored that curiosity."

"Well" a bright smile crossed Leslie's face, "who better to explore with than your best friend? Shall I get another bottle?" she asked, getting the waiter's attention before Ann had a chance to reply. 

Ann was surprised to feel a sinking in the pit of a stomach when the waiter brought over their bill, the evening had passed more quickly than any of her previous dates and she had to remind herself that it was Leslie, she could see her anytime she wanted. "Leslie, no" she grabbed for her hand when she realised her friend was going to pay the whole bill, "let me please."

"Ann, it's fine, honestly" Leslie batted her hand away, "I don't mind." 

"Let me pay half" Ann knew Leslie would never let her pay for both of them so she went in for a compromise. "If you're a feminist you'll let me pay for my share." Usually Ann only wanted to pay for her own food, but they'd shared the wine, Leslie always topping Ann's glass first, and they'd shared dessert so she didn't mind splitting this meal.

"Fine" Leslie rolled her eyes, "but only because I am a feminist."

"Leslie" Ann said as she stood and slipped on her jacket once they'd paid, noticing the smudge of cream on the blonde's nose, "you've got…" she shook her head and simply reached out, swiping the cream from Leslie's nose with her index finger before popping that same finger into her mouth and licking it clean, not noticing Leslie's eyes darken with arousal as she turned to leave the restaurant. 

"So" Leslie grinned once they were back in the parking lot, both women sure they wouldn't be driving home, "would it be presumptuous of me to ask if you wanted to go for a drink? Or should I thank you for your time, tell you I've enjoyed your company and say goodnight?" 

Ann pretended to think for a moment before linking arms with Leslie, "well, you spoke to my face and not my breasts, you didn't only speak about yourself and you offered to pay for dinner. I suppose I can let you buy me a drink or six." 

"It will be my pleasure m'lady" Leslie joked, bowing exaggeratedly before she began walking the, thankfully short distance towards The Snakehole Lounge, arm in arm with Ann. 

Once they were inside the bar, a quiet mention of Donna's name meaning they got to skip the queue, Leslie sent Ann to grab a table, insisting on buying the first round of drinks, "what on earth are those?" Ann shouted over the noise of the club when she saw the two glasses in Leslie's hands. 

"Cocktails" Leslie beamed as she handed one over and sat down. 

"But why are they green?" Ann studied her glass, not sure if she should drink it or save it for evidence. 

Leslie rolled her eyes at Ann's question, "what colour do you expect something electric green flavour to be?"

"Oh" Ann shook her head slightly, "electric green, the best flavour!"

"Hell yeah Ann" Leslie took a big gulp of the almost luminous liquid, Ann leaving Ann wondering if she should predial 911, "everything in Pawnee is an electric colour, it has to be or people get bored". 

"Leslie, it looks like nuclear waste."

"Yeah" Leslie grinned as she took another sip of the cocktail, "but it tastes great, like fizzy toothpaste!" 

"Fizzy toothpaste?" Ann said sarcastically, "just what I've always wanted!" 

Leslie playfully nudged Ann's arm with her elbow, an almost manic smile on her face, "see! I knew you'd love it!" 

Ann insisted on buying the next round of drinks, she ordered another 'fizzy toothpaste' for Leslie but something lighter and fruiter for herself, The Snakehole Lounge had a cocktail list containing cocktails Ann had never heard of before, and she was always sure to double check what was in the drinks she ordered. She didn't ask about Leslie's drink though, although she thought it might be useful so she could tell poison control what her friend had been drinking, she wasn't sure she actually wanted to know what she'd just ingested. 

She told herself she was only sitting so close because of the noise, their proximity made it easier to talk over the music, and, as she handed Leslie her drink, she couldn't help but smile at how her, ever so slightly, tipsy friend curled into her. "You know I was dreading tonight" Ann admitted as she began to play with Leslie's hair. It was so soft, why was it so soft, was Leslie's hair made of clouds? "Thank you for being my best first date ever." 

Leslie beamed with pride, "you're very welcome!" She giggled slightly before telling Ann, "y'know, I almost had a bikini wax for tonight, but I only decided to do it this morning and I couldn't get an appointment" she pouted slightly. 

Ann laughed, and it was definitely the alcohol that made her tell Leslie, "I had one last week" quickly adding, "because I needed one. Not for this date."

Leslie pulled away from where she'd curled into Ann, a look of both shock and amusement on her face as she asked, "what's it like? I've never had one?" 

"What's what like?" Ann's head was beginning to get fuzzy as she sipped at her cocktail, "getting a wax or my vagina?" 

"Both" Leslie shrugged nonchalantly. 

"The wax is a wax, a bit tender at first but you get used to it, and I've never had any complaints about my vagina."

"I'm very glad to hear that" Leslie curled back into Ann's side, "I love you Ann." 

"I know" Ann began playing with Leslie's hair again, "I love you too." They fell into silence and Ann got lost in her thoughts, she did love Leslie, but she'd always thought of her love as platonic, could she ever love her as more than a friend? The more she thought about it the more Ann thought that she could, quite easily, fall in love with Leslie Knope. She knew she couldn't though, Leslie didn't like her that way and there was absolutely no way Ann was going to risk ruining their friendship. Being friends with Leslie was better than taking a risk and ending up with no relationship with her at all and nothing would change Ann's mind on that. 

"Oh!" a loud exclamation from Leslie startled Ann from her thoughts and, almost before she knew it, Ann had been pulled to her feet, Leslie's hand around her wrist, "I love this song!" she yelled, "we have to dance!" Right now Ann would do anything for Leslie so she allowed herself to be led to the dance floor, downing the rest of her drink before beginning to dance with her friend. It quickly became obvious that Leslie was far more intoxicated than Ann, the blonde wrapping her arms around Leslie's neck and almost grinding against her front. Ann didn't say anything, just tried to remind herself she was with her best friend, they'd done this more times than she could remember, there was nothing 'weird' about this at all. 

It turned out the next six songs were Leslie's favourites too, and it was only the offer of another drink that lured Leslie away from the dance floor. "Well, look at this, two beautiful ladies out without a man…" Ann rolled her eyes as she felt someone push between her and Leslie, placing an arm around them both. 

"Beat it Tom" she said without turning to look at him, "I mean it!" 

"Fine, fine" he held up his hands in surrender, "but it's your loss, I could have given you both a night you'd never forget!"

"Oh Ann" Leslie slurred as Tom left, "my sweet, beautiful, punctual, ethereal otter" she reached out to stroke Ann's cheek, "saving me from unwanted masculine advances and underwhelming sexual escapades with my coworkers."

Ann raised an eyebrow, "do I need to cut you off? Have you had enough alcohol?" 

"Nooooo" Ann knew she'd never be able to resist Leslie's pout, "just one more" she held up two fingers. 

Ann laughed and gently folded down Leslie's middle finger, leaving just her index finger raised, "just one" she nodded. 

Leslie flopped against Ann, wrapping her arms around the brunette, "Ann" she grinned dopily, "my pliable, sassy starfish. I do love you." 

"Oh Leslie" Ann laughed as she got the bartender's attention, "please don't ever change." 

By the time they stumbled from the club at closing time they were both feeling a little worse for wear, Leslie had had three more cocktails and Ann had kept up, but they were both in high spirits as they tried to hold each other upright as they made their way to their cab. "Good evening ladies" the cab driver chuckled as they all but fell into the back seat of his car. "You've had a good night I presume." 

"The best!" Leslie grinned, completely unaware how much of her bodyweight Ann was supporting, the brunette somewhat better at handling her alcohol than the blonde. Leslie was happy to chat to the cab driver on the short ride to Ann's house and Ann found herself unable to tear her eyes away from her friend, Leslie was so happy, so cheerful and friendly, she brought joy into the lives of everyone she met and Ann knew she was incredibly lucky to have met her. "Oh" Leslie turned to Ann, her eyes wide in surprise, "that house looks just like yours!" 

Ann laughed, "hey, that is my house! Thank you" she handed the cab driver twenty dollars and told him to keep the change, "we'll both get out here" she didn't trust Leslie to be able to make it out of the cab if she went home on her own. 

They both flopped down on the couch once Ann had locked the door, "hi" Leslie giggled as Ann sat beside her.

"Leslie Knope…" Ann took her hand, shaking her head as she ran her fingers over the back of Leslie's palm. 

"I want to kiss you." Leslie's statement came from nowhere, completely surprising Ann and she shook her head again, convinced she'd heard wrong, but, as Leslie continued, she knew she'd heard her correctly, "all good dates end with a goodnight kiss, we've both had a good date, you've never kissed a woman before and I'm a woman, and I've wondered how you'd taste for a long time now. So it would be a win for both of us, you'd get to see if you like kissing women and I'd get to see if you really do taste like rainbows, because I bet you taste like rainbows, and unicorns and fairies and all the other magical things I can't think of right now because there are tiny men in green suits stealing parts of my brain."

Ann didn't have time to process the fact that Leslie had thought about kissing her before, in fact she barely had time to choke out a surprised "okay" before she had her arms, and her lap, full of Leslie Knope. Leslie scrambling onto Ann's lap, wrapping her arms around her and pressing their lips together so softly Ann wasn't sure it had really happened. The gentleness didn't last for long, Leslie's kisses quickly became more forceful, Ann feeling her lips bruise under the pressure before Leslie's tongue slipped into her mouth. She couldn't believe it, she was sure she'd wake up in the morning to find this had all been some bizarre, alcohol induced, dream, but for now, she forced herself to stop thinking and just enjoy it. 

She wasn't exactly sure when she ended up laying on the couch with Leslie straddling her, the blonde had one hand in her hair, the other resting on the side of her neck as she continued to kiss her fiercely, Ann's hands resting on Leslie's hips, trying to fight the urge to slip them under her shirt. Eventually Leslie broke the kiss, "hi" she grinned, breathing heavily as she looked down at Ann. 

"Hi" Ann reached up to tuck a strand of Leslie's hair behind her ear. 

"So do you like kissing women?" 

Ann chuckled, knowing that she could blame the alcohol in the morning as she answered, "I don't know, I like kissing you. If all women kiss like you then I'd definitely be into that." 

"Hmm" Leslie laid down, settling with her head on Ann's chest, "I don't think I want you to find out. I'd quite like to keep you for myself." She paused for a moment before telling Ann, "hey, I can hear your heart beating." 

"Come on" Ann gently ruffled Leslie's hair, "let me get us some pyjamas so we can go to bed. We're going to feel bad enough in the morning without sleeping on the couch too."

Leslie sighed as she forced herself to her feet again, "okay, but I'm going to kiss you goodnight." 

Ann smiled as she stood too, not entirely sure when her floor stopped being solid, "I'm sure I can agree to that."

It didn't take long for them both to change and crawl into Ann's bed, the way they'd done so many times before, however this was definitely the first time Leslie had said goodnight to her best friend by biting her bottom lip and slipping her tongue into her mouth. As much as she enjoyed making out with Leslie, Ann was glad their make out session didn't last as long as their one on the couch, now she was in bed she was struggling to keep her eyes open and the last thing she wanted to do was fall asleep on Leslie and miss any more of her kisses. 

"I'm going to sleep now" Leslie told Ann as she settled down, her body draped around the brunette's, she always liked to cuddle when they had 'slumber parties' and Ann wasn't sure she'd ever be able to say no to having Leslie tucked up against her side, her body warm and soft as she toed the line between sleep and wake. 

"Goodnight" Ann flicked off the sidelight, grateful for the darkness that helped stop the walls moving around her.

"Ann" Leslie spoke into the silence, not sure if the other woman was still awake, but she got a quiet hum in response, Ann already on the edge of sleep as Leslie told her, "you should probably know… I'll be composing a schedule for our second date in the morning, just as soon as I've finished being sick from my hangover." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets a little bit heated part way through, but it's nothing too explicit!

Ann was the first to wake the next morning, the inside of her mouth felt like sandpaper and she wasn't sure exactly when she'd invited a herd of elephants to live in her skull but she really wished they'd leave. She frowned slightly as she felt something warm against her neck and then a gentle tug on her hair so she used all the energy she had to turn her head to the side, closing her eyes and smiling when she saw Leslie was tucked into her side, her face buried in the crook of Ann's neck as she slept, however Ann wasn't expecting to see her hair in Leslie's mouth, and she wasn't quite sure how she could move it without waking the sleeping blonde so she decided not to bother. 

She must have fallen back to sleep again, and the next time she woke, it was to the feel of Leslie's arm being thrown across her waist, the other woman's leg draping over hers, "wh…" she heard Leslie spit her hair out of her mouth, "Ann" she groaned, "my head hurts."

"Yeah" Ann didn't open her eyes, "mine too." 

"Can we just stay here all day?" 

"I don't think I could move if I wanted to" Ann yawned before slowly rolling onto her side so she was facing Leslie, letting out a groan as she felt her brain bounce against her skull at the movement. Once she was settled she gave her head a moment to stop spinning before she slowly opened her eyes, "hi" she whispered. 

"I'm sorry that I chewed your hair" Leslie mumbled, "but, for the record, it smells really good, better than it tastes if I'm honest, God, I hope I didn't bite any off." Ann smiled and closed her eyes as she listened to Leslie ramble on about eating her hair, Ann didn't know anyone else who could be simultaneously so happy and hungover.

"Hey" Ann slowly opened her eyes again when she felt a gentle kiss to her lips, "what was that for?" 

"Because you're my beautiful little starfish and I love you." 

"Mmm" Ann shuffled closer, "I love you too, but you're the one that starfishes across the bed" she smiled sleepily. They laid in silence for a while before Ann spoke again, "thank you." 

"What for?" Leslie asked, unable to stop herself reaching out to run her fingers down Ann's cheek, as far as she was concerned, she hadn't done anything to warrant being thanked. 

"For last night, even if it was just a one off, I really enjoyed it and, I, my, no matter what happens in the future, I'll always be grateful for what we had last night." 

"Spa day". 

"What?" Ann tried to make sense of Leslie's sudden declaration. 

"I don't know the details because I think part of my brain is still sleeping, but our second date, we're going to have a spa day."

"You'll hate it" Ann murmured, "you'll have to sit still and relax and…"

"And I'll do it for you" Leslie pressed her lips to Ann's once again. 

Ann sighed quietly as they broke the kiss, "I love you." 

"I love you too" Leslie whispered, finding that her head didn't seem to hurt so much when her lips were again Ann's. They laid together making out for a while before Leslie pouted and pulled back, "I need to pee" she sighed, "and puke." 

"Go" Ann pointed to her ensuite, "go now." 

Whilst Leslie was in the bathroom Ann forced herself out of bed, dragging herself into the kitchen to get water and painkillers for both her and Leslie before deciding to make them some toast too. Unfortunately for Ann, she heard Leslie throwing up in the bathroom and the sound made her own stomach lurch and she too vomited into the thankfully empty sink. Ann eventually heard Leslie flush the toilet, and run the tap, presumably washing her hands, before she headed back to bed. She gave it another moment to make sure she wasn't going to vomit again before picking up the tray and making her way back to the bedroom.

"I threw up" Leslie gestured to the bathroom, "I used your toothbrush, if you mind then I'm sorry but my breath was gross and I really want to kiss you again. " she gestured to the bathroom. 

Ann shrugged and handed Leslie the tray, "I threw up too so I'd better…" she gestured to the bathroom too. 

"My bathroom smells of puke" Ann pouted as she climbed back in bed, dry swallowing two painkillers before taking a large gulp of water, "as does my kitchen. And my toothbrush tasted of minty puke."

"Mmm, but I can do this now" Leslie cupped Ann's cheek with her hand and dipped her head to kiss her softly. 

"I suppose that could be a good thing." 

"Could?" Leslie raised an eyebrow, "I'll have you know I'm Leslie Knope, I excel at everything I do."

"Yeah, I'm gonna need a few more kisses, just to be sure."

"I'm sure I can manage that" Leslie smiled, leaning in to kiss Ann again. "Now" she picked up a slice of toast, "eat your cold toast and maybe by dinnertime you'll feel up to letting me take you out for breakfast."

"I thought our second date was going to be a spa day" Ann raised an eyebrow as she took another bite of toast. 

"You do have a point, so how about we call it date 1.5, or we can just have breakfast, after our first date." 

"Breakfast after our first date sounds great" Ann smiled letting her head fall onto Leslie's shoulder. She still couldn't believe this was happening, she couldn't believe this was real, she'd been on a date with her best friend, she'd enjoyed a date with her best friend and her best friend seemed to have enjoyed a date with her. She knew they needed to talk about the change in their relationship, if there even was a change in their relationship. Did Leslie even want to be more than friends or did she just see this as an extension of their best friend relationship?

Leslie too was wondering what the previous night meant for their relationship, was Ann really 'interested' in a romantic relationship with her, or did she just see her as a friend that she could use to explore the feelings she'd never been able to explore before. Even if it was the latter, Leslie decided she wouldn't mind, if Ann trusted her enough to explore her sexuality with her, and if this change in their relationship meant that eventually Ann found someone, of either sex, that made her happy, she'd be okay with that. 

"Can we talk about last night?" It was Ann who cracked first, her head hurt too much to keep thinking about the what ifs and the maybes, she couldn't concentrate on the minute details of the scenarios playing out in her head, each one only slightly different from the last. 

"Yeah" Leslie took a sip of her water, trying to ward off the anxiety in the pit of her stomach that was currently telling her Ann was about to say their date had been a huge mistake, "sure." 

Ann sighed, running her index finger around the edge of the plate as she tried to compose herself, tried to organise the jumble of thoughts in her head into some sort of coherent order, tried to decide where she wanted to start. "What did it mean?" she finally asked. "Was it a date or was it just us having dinner and drinks?" 

"I…" that was one of the questions Leslie had wanted to ask Ann, "I… sorry" she apologised, "I don't...no, right, last night…"unlike Ann, Leslie verbalised her brain getting itself in order. "When I signed up for that website, I said I was interested in men and women, and I did that feeling like I would be happy with either. But I, you said…" Leslie briefly closed her eyes, "I guess what I'm saying is that, I enjoyed our date very much, however, I am aware that you might not be quite so comfortable with the sudden change in our relationship, so if you'd rather it was just 'us' having a, much deserved, night out, or if you just want to use me to try out those feelings you've always been curious about, then, well, I just want you to be happy."

"I don't want that." 

Leslie cut Ann off before she could finish, "you don't want to be happy?" 

"Yeah, no, I mean, I do want to be happy. And I want you to be happy, but I, I don't want this to be some big experiment, if we, if we do this, if we move on from being friends, then I want it to be because it's what we both want, and because it's what we both want with each other, I don't want to use you to decide that I want to find another woman, if we're 'dating' it's because we both want to be in a more than platonic relationship with each other."

"I care about you so much Ann, and you already know I love you" Leslie reached out and gently ran her fingertips over the back of Ann's hand. 

Ann smiled and gently took Leslie's hand in her own, "I feel the same way about you too" she admitted, "but I don't want to lose you Leslie, I don't want to mess this up and lose your friendship."

"You won't" Leslie wiped at a tear Ann didn't realise had fallen, "I love you too much to let that happen. We don't have to make a decision now, why don't we see how our second date goes and take it from there?" 

"Yeah" Ann smiled, looking down at their entwined fingers, "can we, can we keep it between ourselves? Just for now? Until we know for sure that this is what we want?" 

"Of course. Can I still kiss you?" Leslie asked, Ann chuckling slightly at the pout on her face. 

"If no one else is around then I won't say no to your kisses."

"Good" Leslie took Ann's plate from her hand, putting it on the tray with her own and putting the tray on the floor so she could move to straddle Ann's hips, "because I think I might be addicted to you."

"There are worse things you could be addicted to" Ann chuckled before her eyes closed as Leslie's lips met hers. 

Leslie didn't realise she was grinding her hips against Ann's until a quiet groan of pleasure slipped from the brunette's lips, "oh God" she stopped instantly, "sorry I didn't know I was…"

Ann leaned in to kiss Leslie again, her hands settling on the blonde's hips, almost as if she was encouraging her to continue as she told her, "don't stop on my account." 

"Oh, okay" Leslie shifted slightly so she was now just straddling one of Ann's thighs, her knee just in the right place for Ann, and it was Leslie's turn to cry out when she felt Ann lift her thigh to press it against her centre, their breasts touching as she leaned in to kiss her again. For someone usually so vocal, Ann couldn't help but notice how quiet Leslie was as they rocked together, just a series of quiet sighs and gasps giving away her pleasure as she moved against Ann, a soft whine slipping from her lips as she reached her peak. Watching Leslie fall apart was enough to push Ann over the edge too and she cried out, her fingertips curling into Leslie's hips as she came. "Wow" Leslie was slightly breathless as she laid her head against Ann's shoulder, "that was…" 

"Hot!" Ann finished for her, Leslie had never looked so beautiful, Ann was sure that her dreams would now be filled with the sight of Leslie's orgasm, the arch of her back, the stretch of her neck, silky, pale skin that Ann felt almost desperate to mark, she wanted the world to know that she'd claimed this wonderful woman, that Leslie was hers. 

"I haven't done that since I was in college" Leslie sounded slightly embarrassed and Ann knew she had to put a stop to it.

"Me neither" she admitted, "but we both seemed to enjoy it, so I wouldn't be against doing it again if you wanted to." 

Leslie sat up suddenly, Ann's hands once again moving to her hips, this time to stop her losing her balance, you don't mind us dry humping like a pair of horny teenagers?" 

"Not at all" Ann smirked, kissing Leslie again before asking, "why should they get all the fun?" 

They spent the rest of the morning laying in each other's arms, sharing soft kisses as their hands cautiously explored each other's bodies, Leslie's hands smoothing over the curve of Ann's hips, Ann's hands finding a home in the dip of Leslie's waist. With Leslie's permission, Ann's hands had slipped under her shirt, her thumb gently stroking over the soft skin of Leslie's waist as they kissed. 

Both women noticed how different this seemed to past relationships, it didn't seem as rushed or as frantic, neither woman feeling any pressure to take things any further. They laid together, alternating between making out and napping in each other's arms, sleeping off their hangovers and enjoying their quiet time together. They wanted to make the most of this, they wanted to take the time to explore the change in their relationship without scrutiny from others. They knew once they left this bed, left this house, they'd have to hide what they'd become, what they were working towards, until a time when they were both more comfortable with their new relationship, but for now, they were happy to make the most of the time they had together away from the scrutiny of anyone else. 

It was a quiet rumble from Leslie's stomach that eventually convinced them to leave the bubble they'd created for themselves and with one final, lingering kiss, Ann pulled herself from the bed, throwing Leslie a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt before heading into the bathroom. Leslie pulled on her underwear from the previous night, grateful that she didn't have to put her dress back on too. She'd changed into the clothes Ann had given her by the time the brunette left the bathroom, dressed in a similar outfit to the one she'd given Leslie, her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, her face free of makeup. "You know…" Ann found herself quickly pulled into Leslie's arms, "I've always loved your freckles" Ann smiled as Leslie gently kissed her nose. 

"I like your eyes" Ann said softly, running her fingers along Leslie's cheekbones, "they're always so expressive, I could look at you for days." It surprised her how quickly it had become normal to be in love with Leslie. 

"Mmm, I feel the same way" Leslie brushed her lips to Ann's again, but Ann pulled away when Leslie's stomach rumbled. 

"Go get ready to eat" Ann smiled, "we can get our cars while we're out too." She saw Leslie's face fall slightly as she stepped back, "what's wrong?" she reached out to tuck a strand of Leslie's hair behind her ear.

"Nothing" Leslie was quick to force a smile, "I've just enjoyed spending time with you." 

Ann reached for Leslie's hand, "you say it like we're never going to see each other again" Ann had long since realised that Leslie didn't like being home on her own, even now they'd cleared out most of her junk, "and I just want us to pick up our cars, you can still come back here after we've eaten."

"Are you sure? I don't want to put you out or impose on…" 

"Leslie. You are more than welcome to be in this house anytime you like. Even before last night, you were one of my favourite people in the world. Spending time with you is not an imposition. Now, get ready before one of us starves" she laughed as her own stomach started to rumble. 

"I'm ready" Leslie found Ann in the living room once she'd used the bathroom, once again using Ann's toothbrush, amongst other things, to make herself feel half human. She'd never admit it but she really should have listened when Ann suggested she stopped drinking cocktails that resembled nuclear waste. 

"Before we go" Ann took Leslie's hand, "I've got something for you" she said, pushing something cold into Leslie's free hand, "I mean it" she said softly, "I will never not want you coming round, even if I'm at work, whenever, you take that and you make yourself at home here."

"I, I don't know what to say" Leslie was surprised to find tears pricking at her eyes, sure she'd been in plenty of relationships in the past, but she'd never reached the point where she'd been given her own key. 

Ann wiped at Leslie's tears and kissed her softly, "you don't have to say anything, I'd have given you a key before but I was worried about you coming in when I had someone here, but now the only person I plan on bringing back is you, so that's not an issue any more."

Leslie laughed, squeezing the key gently in her palm, "no, I suppose it won't be. Thank you. Now, JJ's?" 

"JJ's" Ann nodded. 

They made small talk as they walked towards the diner, one of Leslie's favourite places in Pawnee, after her parks, and Ann's house of course. Leslie's stomach was grumbling louder than ever so they decided to eat before going back to their cars and when they arrived at the diner they were shown straight to a booth, the staff all greeting Leslie warmly. Ann was always surprised that Leslie didn't have her own, named, booth, she was sure the blonde was single handedly keeping the business afloat. 

Leslie didn't need a menu, she ordered straight away, and, knowing just how hungry Leslie was, Ann skimmed the menu and picked out the first thing that caught her eye, ordering bacon and eggs and a strong, black coffee, the smell of all the food in the diner making her feel a little queasy. 

The food settled Ann's stomach somewhat, but even so, she turned down Leslie's offer of a shared ice cream sundae just to be sure. She had no idea how Leslie had managed it, she'd eaten waffles with more whipped cream than Ann could have imagined, and now she was just finishing an ice cream. She knew Leslie would be riding a sugar high for a while, and, if she was honest, Ann hoped she'd be there when Leslie crashed. She knew Leslie didn't sleep well, the blonde often surviving on four hours of sleep each night, but Ann knew from experience that tired Leslie was adorable, she was soft and warm, and she loved to cuddle and Ann knew she'd never complain about getting to be a part of that. 

"You will not be putting me out if you go back to my house" Ann told Leslie once they'd made their way to the rest parking lot where they'd left their cars, "I need to go to the store and grab a few things, but if you want to go back to mine then you've got your key, let yourself in and make yourself at home, but if you want to go home, that's okay too." Ann knew Leslie would be second guessing herself, not sure what to do now and she knew, no matter what she said, Leslie would worry Ann was getting sick of her. 

"You don't mind?" she asked, barely able to meet Ann's gaze. 

"Not at all" Ann tucked Leslie's hair behind her ears, "I enjoy your company, but I understand if you want to take some time to yourself. Like I said, I need to go to the store, if you're at mine when I get back then that's great, if not, that's okay too, I've had a great time and I'll call you later."

"I, maybe we could watch a movie?" 

"Sounds good to me" Ann leaned in to steal a chaste kiss, "you make some hot chocolate, I'll pick up some snacks, I'll be back as soon as I can." 

"I love you" Leslie smiled, wrapping her arms around Ann and hugging her tightly. 

"I love you too" Ann smiled, returning the hug before saying goodbye and heading to her car. 

Leslie couldn't help but smile as she let herself into Ann's house, she felt like she was dreaming, there was absolutely no way that she could have spent several hours that morning making out with her best friend. Remembering what Ann had asked, she measured out enough milk for two mugs of hot chocolate, pouting it into a saucepan and reaching for the cocoa powder. As she waited for the milk to warm, she made her way through to Ann's bedroom, the first trip bringing out Ann's duvet and pillows so they could get comfy on the couch, the second to bring out the tray from earlier, stacking the plates and glasses in the dishwasher to save Ann doing it later. 

As Ann promised, she wasn't long at all, "I've made the hot chocolate" Leslie said with a grin after greeting Ann with a kiss, "but you haven't got any… You're the best" her pout turned to a smile when Ann silently held out a can of whipped cream. 

"I know" Ann chuckled, putting the bag of snacks down on the coffee table, smiling at the sight of her duvet on the couch, she was working in the morning and a quiet night watching movies with her, whatever Leslie was to her now, seemed like a great way to to spend the evening. "I got you this too" she said, pulling something from her pocket and holding it out to Leslie. 

Leslie's heart skipped a beat, "a toothbrush?" 

"I don't know if you're going to be staying here more often or not, but I thought… I love you Leslie, I really do, but I'm not sure I love you enough to taste your vomit on my toothbrush more than once." 

"That's fair" Leslie laughed "but, in my defence, if you weren't so beautiful, I wouldn't have wanted to kiss you quite as much as I did." 

"Well now you've got no excuse" Ann leaned in to kiss Leslie again, "come on" she smiled as she pulled away, "let's go argue over what we watch for half an hour before putting Grease on again."

Usually movie nights saw them sat at opposite ends of the couch, a blanket over their legs, snacks between them as they argued about what to watch, but tonight, Ann found herself with Leslie sitting against her, the blonde sat between her legs, Leslie's back against her chest. She didn't want to change Leslie, she loved her regardless of all her quirks and strange habits, but, if them spending more time together meant that she'd be able to get Leslie to relax a little more, if she could encourage her to switch off and rest more frequently, then Ann wouldn't complain about that at all. 

They watched two movies together before Ann dropped a kiss to Leslie's shoulder, she'd felt a little awkward at first, but she'd eventually settled with one hand around Leslie's middle, the other resting on her thigh, Leslie's hand resting on hers. "I'm working at 8 in the morning so I think I'm going to jump in the shower and then go to bed. You're welcome to stay if you want?" 

"Are you sure?" 

"Absolutely, watch another movie if you want, whether you go home or come to bed is up to you. I don't mind you being here Leslie, I really don't." 

"Okay" Leslie smiled, shuffling away to allow Ann to stand, "thank you." 

"You've got nothing to thank me for Leslie" Ann kissed Leslie's lips, "nothing at all."


	3. Chapter 3

Ann was surprised to feel sinking in her chest when she woke to an empty bed the next morning. She knew Leslie worried about getting in the way, about Ann getting sick of her, so Ann could understand why she'd chosen to go home, but Ann already missed waking up beside her. She didn't have time to dwell on it though, she needed to get herself ready for work, she could always call Leslie later. 

She yawned and stretched as she made her way into the kitchen, her heart swelling with love as she realised Leslie had stayed, she wasn't in bed because she was in the kitchen making breakfast, "hey you" Ann smiled, her voice husky from sleep, "I thought you'd gone home. How long have you been up?" 

Leslie turned to beam at Ann, "I woke at 5, I thought I'd make us breakfast before you go to work, the coffee's fresh and your eggs are nearly ready!" 

"Thank you" Ann could smell the freshly brewed coffee, choosing to kiss Leslie gently and tell her, "I love you" before moving to pour out coffee for Leslie and herself. "So if you were up at five, what time did you sleep?" Ann asked, when, at Leslie's insistence, she took their coffees and went to sit at the table. 

"I think I came to bed about 1, I'm glad I didn't wake you though, you looked so peaceful."

Ann smiled, four hours sleep was about the most Leslie seemed to manage without the help of alcohol, "I wouldn't have minded if you did." She knew Leslie would never have woken her on purpose, in fact, Leslie was so quiet that Ann had thought she'd gone home, she'd slept through the night without waking. Andy was never bothered about letting Ann sleep before work, he'd play his guitar, or his video games, as loud as he wanted, at any time of day or night. Leslie however had been quiet and considerate and it was one of the many reasons Ann loved her. "Leslie" Ann couldn't help but smile as Leslie put a plate in front of her, it was nothing too fancy, just scrambled eggs and toast, but the eggs were arranged in a heart shape on the toast. 

"I know it's a bit cheesy, but…" 

"But it's going to make me smile for the rest of the day" Ann grinned, leaning across the table to kiss Leslie again, "thank you." 

Before Ann left for work she made sure to remind Leslie that she was welcome to stay as long as she wanted, repeating that she was free to use the key to come and go as she liked before kissing her softly and telling her she'd see her later, or, if Leslie chose to go home, she'd call her later. 

Leslie found herself standing aimlessly by the couch once Ann had left, she didn't know what to do with herself, she'd never been in Ann's house without Ann before. She took a quick look around the room before realising Ann had spent her days off with Leslie, neglecting the housework she usually did, so Leslie would tidy things up a little before going home, no matter what Ann said, Leslie was certain she'd be getting sick of her by now. 

She decided to shower before she started, smiling as she reached for Ann's shampoo and shower gel, feeling almost as if she was wrapped in Ann's arms as she washed herself with the fruity scented liquid. Once she was done in the shower, she used the toothbrush Ann had brought her and grabbed a hair band from the plastic tub on the sink, tying back her damp curls before dressing in the sweatpants Ann had loaned her to wear to JJ's the previous day before getting to work, starting by stacking the dishwasher and setting it going. She vacuumed the carpet and mopped the kitchen floor before moving to the bedroom and straightening the bedsheets and throwing their dirty pyjamas in the laundry basket. She briefly considered putting on a load of laundry but thought that might be a step too far so instead, she decided she'd prepare something for Ann's dinner, something the nurse could just warm up after her long shift at work, and then she'd go back to her own house to give Ann some space. 

She turned on the radio as she cooked, and she was so busy singing along, that she didn't hear the car pull up outside or the click of the front door. "Leslie" Ann jumped as she closed the door to her house, "I erm, I didn't realise you'd still be here." 

Leslie misjudged Ann's tone, "sorry, I was just going to leave you something to heat up for dinner, I can leave if you want, and you ca…"

"No, no, it's fine, I meant what I said, you can stay here as long as you like, but seeing as you're here, could you do something for me?"

"Sure, anything, what do you need?" 

Ann dipped her head, hoping her hair covered her face as she told Leslie, "there's a first aid kit under the sink, could you grab me an ice pack and wrap it in a dish towel for me?" 

"An ice pack, Ann, are you…" it was then that Leslie realised Ann was home far, far earlier than she should be and she turned to face her, about to ask why she was home so soon but her words were replaced by a shocked gasp as she saw Ann, "your beautiful face, what happened?" she reached out a hand but stopped just short of touching the swollen, purple skin underneath Ann's left eye. 

"It's nothing" Ann decided against shaking her head, I erm, I'm going to shower and change, could you maybe have that ice pack ready for me when I come out? "

"Of course, do you need anything? Have you taken painkillers or do you need some? Have you seen a doctor? Should I call 911?" Leslie had no idea what had happened in the few hours since she'd last seen Ann and the fact she was hurt sat uneasily in Leslie's stomach. 

Ann reached for Leslie's hand, stroking her thumb over Leslie's knuckles, "I've seen a doctor, and I've taken some painkillers, please don't worry about me."

"Ann" Leslie was aware that she should be the one comforting Ann, but she felt like the only thing she was capable of right now was panic and worry. 

She squeezed Leslie's hand, not quite ready to talk about her day yet, "I'm going to take a shower, I won't be long." 

Leslie used the time Ann was gone to finish preparing dinner, covering the tray with foil once she'd finished and setting it in the oven to cook later as she tried not to worry too much about Ann, she said she was okay that she'd been checked by a doctor and Leslie had to accept that. She wished she knew someone who knew what to do, and then she realised she did, she knew Ann, so, if Ann said she was okay, Leslie had to try and believe her. 

She took an ice pack from the first aid kit when she heard the shower shut off, wrapping it in a clean dish towel and pouring a glass of water for Ann. "Oh Ann" her bruises seemed to have worsened in the twenty minutes since Leslie had last seen her and she could only imagine how much pain she was in, "come on" she patted the couch next to her, "come sit." 

Ann sat on the couch for a brief moment before putting a cushion on Leslie's lap and laying down, wincing slightly when she laid the ice pack against her cheek, "you want to know what happened don't you?" 

"You do have quite the black eye, that you didn't have a couple of hours ago." Leslie said as she began combing her fingers through Ann's hair. 

"And a broken cheekbone" Ann mumbled. 

"A what!" it was only Ann's head in her lap that stopped Leslie leaping to her feet, "Ann, what happened?"

"Two drunk men started fighting. Their aim was a little off and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time." she sighed, her face was really painful, putting ice on it hurt even more and she just wanted to cry. 

Leslie gently massaged Ann's scalp as she continued playing with her hair, "my noble, talented, tree shark, is there anything I can do?" 

"No" Ann reached up, taking hold of Leslie's free hand and linking their fingers together, "just having you here is enough."

"You should have called me" Leslie whispered, feeling Ann run her fingers over her knuckles, "I could have been there, I could have, I could have kicked some ass." 

Ann kissed Leslie's knuckles, "my superhero. I wouldn't have wanted you in there, one of us getting hurt is more than enough, security took care of it and I've given a report to the police, it's all taken care of, I, I don't, can we just talk about something else please?" 

"Anything" Leslie gently squeezed Ann's hand, "we can talk about anything, anything you want." They didn't talk about anything else, silence falling between them as Leslie continued to comb her fingers through Ann's hair as Ann got lost in her thoughts, "Ann" Leslie said softly when she heard her sniffle quietly. 

"I'm sorry" Ann tried to wipe at her tears, wincing when she caught her bruised cheek, "I…" she shook her head, her voice cracking as more tears fell. 

"Hey, no" Leslie hated hearing Ann sound so broken, "it's okay" she gently scratched at her scalp, "you're allowed to be upset, you're allowed to be scared, it's okay, you're okay." Leslie moved her hand from Ann's hair when she felt Ann move to sit up, "are you okay?" 

"Yeah" Ann held the ice pack to her face as she sat up, "can we just…"she sighed quietly before asking, "will you just sit with me for a while?" 

"Of course" Leslie held out her arms, letting Ann cuddle into her side, "I'll stay for as long as you want me, and we can do whatever you want to feel more comfortable." 

"Thank you" Ann settled with her head on Leslie's shoulder, ice pack still resting on her cheek as she draped her arm around Leslie's waist and tried to calm down. She closed her eyes and tried to match Leslie's breathing, tears still fighting their way through her closed eyelids as she tried to concentrate on the rise and fall of Leslie's chest with each breath she took.

Leslie didn't say anything, she heard Ann taking deep breaths, realised the brunette was trying to match her breaths so she kept her own breathing steady, gently stroking Ann's back with one hand, the fingers on her other hand gently tracing patterns over the back of Ann's hand. "Okay?" she asked softly when Ann let out a shaky breath before opening her eyes. 

"Yeah" Ann wiped at her unbruised cheek, "I'm sorry I…"she gestured to her face, apologising for getting emotional. 

Leslie kissed Ann's forehead, she hated seeing Ann so upset, had felt an ache in her heart as the usually strong woman fell apart in her arms, but she was glad she'd been there, that Ann hadn't been on her own, that she'd been able to comfort her when she needed it, "you don't need to apologise" she told her, "you're allowed to have emotions Ann, it's okay if you aren't okay." 

"You should go home later." Ann quietly told Leslie once her tears had stopped and she felt calmer. 

"Of course" Leslie answered quickly, knowing she'd outstayed her welcome, "I was going to leave after I'd finished making dinner for you anyway so you could have some space, I appreciate you letting me stay and I've really enjoyed…" 

"Leslie" Ann gently squeezed Leslie's arm, "let me finish please." 

"Sorry." 

"You don't need to apologise Leslie. It's okay and if you want to go home then that's absolutely fine with me, I was just going to say, I know you're worried about me, and, if I'm honest, I think I'd feel better having someone with me tonight, just in case. So, maybe it would be a good idea if you went home later and picked up some things so you don't have to leave here at the crack of dawn to get ready for work tomorrow."

"You, you wouldn't mind me staying?" 

"I'll keep telling you until you believe me, I like having your company Leslie, and I'd offer to let you borrow something of mine for work, but there's something about the thought of you wearing my stuff that means, if I knew you were at work in my clothes, I'd probably have to turn up at City Hall and make sure everyone knew what you were wearing."

"Is that so?" Leslie gently trailed her fingers along Ann's jawline, getting a nod in response as Ann lazily kissed at her fingertips, "maybe one day we'll have to find out exactly what me wearing your clothes does to you." 

"I like the sound of that" Ann nuzzled closer, "but maybe when my face isn't actually broken?" 

"Whenever you're ready" Leslie dipped her head to kiss Ann gently, "whenever you're ready." 

They fell into a comfortable silence and Ann was unable to believe that it had been less than 48 hours since their first date. Maybe it was because Leslie was her best friend. Or because they were already close, already shared a love for each other, but everything just felt so comfortable and right, like they'd been together forever, like they would be together forever. She didn't feel the need to do anything, to be anyone, she knew Leslie didn't expect anything of her, that they'd be able to take things at their own pace, that Leslie wouldn't be angry or disappointed if Ann needed to take her time to adjust to their new relationship. 

Leslie gently ran her fingers up and down Ann's arm, she too was surprised at how natural this felt. With Ann she never felt the need to fill the silence with empty chat, and, when Ann was with her, she often felt able to switch off and relax, to just do nothing but enjoy the company of the other woman and she wondered if sharing a bed with Ann would lead to her being able to sleep for more than four hours at a time. 

"Ann" Leslie gently ran her fingers through her hair a little while later, "Ann?" She waited until she got a grumble of acknowledgement before she asked, "are you okay to fall asleep or do I need to try and keep you awake?" 

Ann smiled at Leslie's concern, she hadn't even realised she'd been drifting off, feeling a lot calmer than she had been when she first came home, "it's okay" Ann murmured, "other than it means I probably won't sleep tonight, I don't have a serious concussion." 

Leslie continued running her fingers through Ann's hair, "does that mean you've got a non-serious concussion? Because I was under the impression that all concussions were serious." 

"It's only mild" Ann tried to brush it off, "it's okay."

"You'd tell me if it wasn't though? If you thought something was wrong?" 

"Of course I would" Ann promised, reaching up to cup Leslie's cheek in her hand, "and if you notice that I'm confused or disoriented or if I start slurring my speech or not making sense, if anything about my behavior worries you, I won't be mad about you making me go back to the hospital, but right now, I'm a little uncomfortable and I, I'm feeling a lot of things but I'm okay."

"Okay" Leslie tried to force herself not to worry, "do you want to talk about it? About how you're feeling?" 

Ann shook her head without lifting it from Leslie's chest, "maybe later, I think I need some time to process everything and make sense of it myself first, if that's okay?" 

"Of course it is. Take as long as you need." There was a moments silence before Leslie told Ann, "I need to use the bathroom, and if you're going to nap, you might be more comfortable if we cuddled in bed?" She noticed Ann's head lolling again and wanted her to be comfortable when she did fall asleep. 

"You don't have to stay" Ann said when Leslie joined her in bed after she'd used the bathroom. 

Leslie smiled and held out her arms, "I don't mind staying with you, and anyway, what sort of…" she stumbled over their relationship before settling on "person... What sort of person would I be if I abandoned you with a head injury?"

Ann tipped her head up to gently kiss Leslie softly, she'd noticed her hesitation when trying to put a label on their relationship so she told her, "you erm, earlier, when I was waiting for my xrays to come back, I went on the dating website." Leslie felt her heart sink slightly, was Ann looking for someone else? But luckily Ann hadn't finished, "Yesterday, you asked if I was serious, if this was what I wanted. Well, I deleted my profile on the dating website, it asked if I wanted to give a reason why I was deleting my profile. I told them I'd met my match." 

"Oh" Leslie's heart skipped a beat at the thought of being Ann's match, "it never occurred to me to delete my profile" she admitted, "but I did delete the app from my phone earlier." 

"You, you did?" Ann seemed surprised. 

"Yeah" Leslie nuzzled closer to Ann, kissing her temple before telling her, "I've got you, I don't need anyone else. If I'm honest, I've loved you for a long time, I just didn't think you'd love me the same way." 

Ann settled herself against Leslie, beginning to feel a little sleepy again, she smiled as Leslie pulled the covers up and tucked them around her. "Maybe we should be thankful for random blind date apps."

"Maybe we should" Leslie chuckled, "but we can do that later, now, you need to get some rest my beautiful, talented, noble, unicorn." 

"I love you Leslie." 

"I love you too" Leslie kissed Ann's hair. 

Ann smiled as she let her eyes flutter closed, "will you wake me in an hour or so?" She knew the doctor had cleared her of a serious head injury but she was still wary of sleeping for too long. "Just talk to me for a little bit? Make sure I'm still coherent and not confused." She knew Leslie was worrying about her and she thought that giving her a 'job', something she could do to help, something that would make her feel useful, might help her relax a little. 

She was right, and, although Ann had her eyes closed, she could hear the smile in Leslie's voice, "okay" she grinned, "I can do that." 

It didn't take long for Ann's body to relax in Leslie's embrace as she drifted off to sleep. Usually Leslie hated being still, always felt like doing nothing was a waste of time, there was always so much that needed doing and she never had time to just sit back and relax, but now, with Ann dozing in her arms, her breath warm against Leslie's neck, Leslie realised she'd quite happily stay here forever. 

Ann had been asleep for exactly one hour and four minutes when Leslie woke her. The extra four minutes being the time it took for Leslie to decide how to wake Ann, shaking her or speaking loudly just seemed mean, so she gently trailed her fingertips up Ann's arm and kissed her forehead, "Ann Darling" she said softly, "can you wake up for me?" 

"Mmm" Ann groaned softly, snuggling closer to Leslie as she woke, "'m gonna change my name" she mumbled sleepily. 

"Yeah?" Leslie gently brushed Ann's hair back from her face, being careful not to touch her cheek, "what to?" 

Ann yawned and rolled onto her back, away from Leslie, stretching out for a brief moment before tucking herself back into Leslie's side, "Ann Darling. I like the sound of that." 

Leslie laughed, "I'm not sure I want to hear everyone calling you 'Ann Darling'."

"Yeah, okay" Ann agreed, shuddering slightly at the thought of being called Ann Darling by other people, "maybe just you." 

"I can do that" Leslie promised, "now, how are you feeling? Do you know what day it is? Where you are?" 

Ann smiled at her concern, "I'm okay, it's Sunday and I'm in bed, in your arms and I really like it here." 

Leslie hummed her agreement, "yeah, I really like it here too."

They stayed in bed for a while, chatting quietly about anything that came to mind, until they both began to get hungry, so, at Leslie's insistence, Ann settled herself on the couch as Leslie made lunch for them both, "that smells great" Ann smiled as she moved over to sit at the table once Leslie told her the food was ready, "what is it?" 

"Tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich, I thought you might want comfort food."

Ann's stomach let out a quiet growl, "it looks amazing, thank you." 

Leslie decided to go home to pick up some of her things once they'd eaten, and she nervously asked Ann to go with her, she was still a little worried about her and didn't want to leave her alone just yet. Ann recognised that and agreed without question to go with Leslie, "you can bring enough for a few days if you want" Ann told her, her hand resting on Leslie's knee as she drove. "If you want to go home then obviously you can, but if you want to stay, or if you just want to leave some things in case you ever need anything in the future, I'd be okay with that."

"You, you wouldn't mind me leaving some things at your house?" Leslie had never had a partner offer to let her leave anything at their house before, "are you sure?" 

Ann gently squeezed Leslie's knee as she nodded, "certain." 

**Author's Note:**

> And there we are! I'd love to know what you think and if you'd like to read more!


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